Top 10 Sci-Fi Movie Posters

#10: “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991)

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It’s all in the name. With Schwarzenegger in glorious bold font across the top and the star perched upon a hog, this movie poster didn’t require a caption…but we got one anyway. The idea of James Cameron’s sequel about a B-Team Terminator automatically tingled the senses of sci-fi fans, but the poster’s bravado produced a collective mind-boner for astonished moviegoers worldwide. This iconic shot has since found its way into American pop culture, including a spoof poster featuring the alternate casting of Stallone in “Last Action Hero.”

The poster for this silent film by German expressionist director Fritz Lang screams innovation. “Metropolis” was the most expensive film at the time of its release, and the futuristic poster caused 1920s moviegoers to lose themselves in artistic design. Title at the top. Robot at the bottom. Simplicity in motion. The poster captures the concept of class struggle while offering a bit of mystery, especially because a few people still believed that objects might jump out of screens.

#8: “Blade Runner” (1982)

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This iconic poster was hand-painted by the prolific John Alvin and features the titular character alongside a cigarette-smoking femme fatale. “Blade Runner” didn’t make a strong opening impression upon release; however, both the film and poster have now become all-time classics. The tagline conveys the basics but the outer-worldly lights and precise staging lets everybody know what to expect. Alvin’s work became so admired that the term “Alvinesque” was used to describe the stylings of future movie posters.

In a year that also included the release of “Star Wars,” one film stood apart with its ominous guide to extraterrestrial contact. As fate would have it, the arduous post-production process kept “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” from competing with George Lucas’ classic, and the heavenly poster subsequently teased at something truly special. The lonely road and star-filled skies set the mood, while specific text left consumers prepared for a wild ride.

The name “Stanley Kubrick” held an extraordinary amount of power in the late ‘60s, and the poster for his masterpiece captured man’s timeless curiosity and fear of the unknown. Like all classic artwork for the genre, a multitude of bright lights are displayed as an astronaut prepares for an infinite journey. An additional interstellar poster was created by Robert McCall, but this snapshot of cinematic beauty said it all. Some conspiracy theorists still believe Kubrick was responsible for staging the Apollo 11 moon landing, and with a movie like this on his resume we can see how that rumor started.

#5: “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)

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It’s one of the most iconic shots in movie history and one of several prominent posters from Steven Spielberg’s classic. John Alvin was responsible for an alternate and elegantly awesome poster inspired by Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, but most have come to identify “E.T.” with the dazzling moon shot. Some posters have combined the two, but it doesn’t really matter – audiences reacted favorably. And by “favorably,” we mean they drooled from the mouth. Everybody loves a little human contact with friendly aliens.

#4: “Jurassic Park” (1993)

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Watch out! More Spielberg coming at you. While dinosaurs aren’t the most accessible creatures, the poster for “Jurassic Park” connected humans and T-Rexes like never before. With a central theme of red, the focal object in black and a simple tagline, the film became instantly synonymous with “adventure” and a cinematic experience. Audiences appreciated the direct message and knew to expect something epic in nature. After all, it was the Spielberg name that was the hidden marketing gem of this historic poster.

#3: “Back to the Future” (1985)

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“Where we’re going we don’t need posters.” Well, that’s not entirely true. Drew Struzan created this celebrated poster complete with fire, stars and an extremely tight pair of jeans on Michael J. Fox. The teasy tagline caused moviegoers to scratch their heads, and the visual depth of the poster instilled a sense of time travel possibility in the truest of sci-fi nerds. The DeLorean is waiting for you. And just when you thought this trilogy couldn’t get any better, fans were later treated to equally cool posters for the sequels...

#2: “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” (1977)

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Using artist Tom Jung’s poster design as a base, the Brothers Hildebrandt created this powerhouse of poster magic and their fame lit up like Luke Skywalker’s light saber. The first version was submitted without droids, but after as 36-hour session, the version we all love was complete. In the end, the Hildebrandt interpretation wasn’t even used for the initial film’s theatrical release, but the idea and its power remain the same. Darth Vader looms in the background like a creep, while sweet Princess Leia shows off a bit of leg and wields a gun. And then there’s R2-D2 and C-3PO standing in admiration of Luke’s profound open chested power stance. An alternate and equally sublime version was produced for the 1978 re-release, which inspired a group of Star Wars fanatics to begin each day with a silent prayer of appreciation. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. - “Interstellar” (2014) - “Moon” (2009) - “RoboCop” (1987) - “Gravity” (2013) - “Men in Black” (1997) - “Star Trek: First Contact” (1996) - “District 9” (2009)

#1: “Alien” (1979)

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Large and in charge. Mean and frightfully green. The “Alien” movie poster scared people more than some horror films do today, as it left a lot to the imagination. The black hole sets the tone, along with the large gaps between the title’s five letters. Of course, the warning tagline is enough to make the easily scared lose control of their bladders. That’s the true sign of an epic sci-fi movie poster. And the green is symbolic of much more than extraterrestrial terror. Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite sci-fi movie poster? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.